Argentine opposition candidate ahead in polls as runoff nears

Argentine opposition candidate Mauricio Macri holds an eight-point lead over ruling party candidate Daniel Scioli in the run-up to next weekend's presidential runoff, said a poll released Saturday.

Macri, 56, is the business world's choice to take over Argentina's flagging economy. Scioli is backed by outgoing center-left President Cristina Kirchner.

The survey by the consulting firm of Management & Fit predicted Macri will win 52 percent of the votes and Scioli 43.7 percent.

Both candidates cancelled their campaign events Saturday in solidarity with the French, after Friday night attacks in Paris killed at least 129 people.

Under Argentine law Saturday was the last day that election polls can be released.

But 11 percent of the electorate is still undecided and such voters are very unpredictable, said Raquel Fornoni, director of the consulting firm.

Another poll, by Gonzalez y Valladares, gave Macri a 10 percentage point lead, with 4.5 percent of voters undecided.

In the first round of voting on October 25 Scioli finished first with 37.08 percent against 34.15 percent for Macri.

That was a big surprise because pre-election surveys had given the ruling party candidate a much bigger lead, of eight points.

So election watchers are being more careful about the runoff.

"I will not make an outright prediction but as of today all signs are that the election belongs to Macri. It is hard to make up eight points," said Fornoni.

All eyes are on the lone televised debate that the candidates will hold on Sunday night and whether it will tilt the balance in either direction.

The presidential runoff is the first in Argentine history.

Kirchner served two terms after acting as first lady under her husband Nestor, and is barred from seeking a third term. Nestor Kircher died in 2010.

The president is preparing to leave office with an approval rating of about 50 percent.
Source: AFP